Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name (usually not your first and last name), your email address and other required details in the form below.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

Log-in

User Name

Remember Me?

Password

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options

Miscellaneous Options

Automatically parse links in text

Automatically embed media (requires automatic parsing of links in text to be on).

Automatically retrieve titles from external links

Topic Review (Newest First)

08-21-2003 02:55 PM

jimfulco

Don't forget to unhook the accelerator cable BEFORE you drop the motor.

08-20-2003 10:58 PM

5-7heaven

usually #3 piston(driver-side, rear) gives up the ghost, especially after the exhaust valve separates.

remove the generator belt, and try turning the engine over...BY HAND. if it turns, come back here, for a cheap fix.

whatever ya do, don't order that new engine yet! yours might be fixable.

i also got a beetle.. 74 super convertible.. the motor i baught it with is a 1641cc.. from a 72 beetle.. but i dont understand how yours can light em up so easly.. i gota rev the snot outa mine drop the clutch then be lucky to get a chirp.. and i do have dual carbs.. car runs great.. was thinking about selling it for a lift kit for my truck?? the car needs major attention on body work.. and thats one thing i don't no how to do prperly.. body work! and buddy.. over here in canada.. it would cost me 5 grand to build a decent powered motor.. and thats be genorus.. (cheap parts) go for the top of the line parts.. then u lookin at a easy 8 grand....200 hp.. thats another reason y i wana sell it.. parts arnt cheap.. i'd love to restore.. it.. but having to other cars.. i don't no if its worth the money.. but then again cant sell it for anything cuz its rusty.. dam.. looks like i just told u my life story.. anyways.. ya the motors are simple to pull.. 4 bolts off the transaxle.. i'd also be worried y it sezied up.. before deciding to rebuild, i think i might check out ebay.. hey if i cam accross a little racing motor i'd put it in before i sell.. proboly rip the thing to pieces.. but be fun racing around!

08-20-2003 07:47 PM

72superbug

so wait, my alternator or generator could be locked up and that could cause it not to turn over? that would be sweet save me hella hella money and then i could start my motor build up and my system and interior(stuff for vw's is cheap new carpets like 60 bucks). well yeah i will look at that. Thanx man. yeah me and my dad were gonna drop a new motor in over a weekend probably but if its that then i will be a verry verry happy kid, i am driving our truck with a 454(mild cam, edelbock heads, intake, and carb, hooker headers) and its built for towing cars around so its got pretty good low end take off but i hate 8 miles a gallon around town.

Peace,
Wil

08-20-2003 07:05 PM

drlindz

Hey 72superbug, I think it's cool that you have a bug. That was my first car and man did I love it!
You said that you don't know much about motors so I think your VW is a great car to learn on. These things are very easy and forgiving to work on. You can drop the engine by yourself with nothing more than a floorjack and stands. They respond extremely well to modifications.
I would drop the engine and determine exactly what is wrong. If it's just a piston locked in the cylinder bore then you can just replace the piston and bore. Alot cheaper than an entire engine.
Just a thought but you could try to turn over the engine with the generator/fan belt removed. I've had a generator locked up so tight that the engine wouldn't turn with the starter or a wrench.
I wouldn't concern myself with the transaxle unless you plan on building a serious street/strip car. Those trannies are pretty stout and reliable in stock form.

Man the memories!!

08-20-2003 04:25 PM

gt2betubbed

How ya gonna do that when your daily driver is froze?...lol
Do you think you could handle it yourself? I heard those motors come out with only 4 bolts. Doing it yourself could save you a lot of money.

08-20-2003 04:22 PM

72superbug

what brought me to the motor locking up is that, it wouldnt turn over at all, so i tried to hand turn it no luck. So i called up a family friend thats a vw nut, and he messed with it for 1 and a half and said motors locked up, probably the crank cracked or broke(i think thats what he said??) and that it could be a few other things to, but its like just about the same price to rebuild the motor as it is for a new one with a new clutch and pressure plate and all that good stuff. Dual carbs and all that can be bolted on later and when i get more moneys. Well yeah i am gonna look on ebay too. well i gotta go pick up my girlfriend so she can get her nails done or somthing.

Peace,
Wil

08-20-2003 03:56 PM

gt2betubbed

Since it's your daily driver, it'll probably come down to what's going to get you back on the road the fastest. I would look into what's really wrong with the motor first, then go from there. Bolt ons are going to alot cheaper, and you can piece them together.

Saw this the other day, and thought it was the coolest bug I've ever seen. It was primered black (love that look), and had all the fenders off with some really nice front suspen. and pizza cutters in the front, and a set of nice wide meats in the back. It really resembled a LowBoy(I think that's what they are called, 32 Coupe), it was too damn cool .

08-20-2003 03:43 PM

syclone

knew a guy(neighbor when I was a kid) that put a 440 Interceptor in a bug and converted it to front engine with less than a foot long driveshaft. It was awesome for about a week by that time it was junk

08-20-2003 12:29 AM

Dutchman

Hey bug, saw some motors on ebay, thought you may want to take a look

08-19-2003 11:11 PM

akm

you never said why you think your engine is locked up.
i couldn't imagine your engine just locking up over night.
what exactly brings you to that conclution?

08-19-2003 07:10 PM

72superbug

yep, this is my daily driver, i was thinkin of gettin a toyota pickup one around here for like $400 and then rippin apart my vw and doing a ground up but i dont go the money. I am still thinking on what to do with it. My dads got a pretty sick car(87 porsche 928) i cant ever drive it well i used to when i had my permit, so i wanna build up my car to kick his *** bad in a drag race, me and him went at it a few times out on the streets and i always loose but its still fun. Yeah no porsche motors for me, i called to get the price on one and a used one with 67,456 miles is gonna be about $1700 with out carb and exaust(f u c k that). I am gonna rebuild my motor and bore it to a 1915cc or just get a new one and start with a 1600cc block and work it up, and get a transaxle and build that like bullet proof so i can have a kick-*** 12.5 or better 1/4 street car that gets 20mpg or more.

Peace,
Wil

08-19-2003 06:51 PM

5-7heaven

howziit guy!

Hmmmm, brings back memories of the early-80's, when the VW bug was so popular here.

since you're only 16, just repair the 1600, increasee to 87mm pistons, install oil filter/external oil cooler or doghouse cooler/shroud, extractor exhaust, and live with that.

DON'T BUY THE PORSCHE ENGINE! it's not a bolt-on, requires more precise assembly/clearances, parts cost MUCH more than "bug" parts. not too much aftermarket parts, either.

FWIW, a well-built VW engine would easily smoke a porsche 1600, with much less $$$ outlay.

ive read "how to hot rod vw" and "bajas and buggies" and from what i understud was, the porsha engines and trans-axle wernt all that.
yea the porsha might have more power out of the box, but a whell built vw motor can be just as strong, if not stronger and be more reliable.

is this your daily driver?

you could always cram an SHO in the back lol

08-19-2003 06:35 PM

72superbug

I need a new motor in my vw.

Ok wtf? my motor sezied up over night i guess. So i got a few options its gonna be like $875 to rebuild the top part of the motor to stock. Or $1400 to rebuild the top part, throw in a cam, and bore it to a 1915cc. Or $1300 for a new motor with all new parts, a new clutch and pressure plate and all that good stuff? What should i do? I want to have a kick *** motor soon probably in like 1 and a half years or 2 years. Should i buy a used 2000cc porsche motor and start my project from there, or should i buy a 1600 block and build it up?? I am 16 with not alot of knowalge with motors and not a whole lot of cash(i own a vw i mean yeah their like 800 bucks for a okie one thats running). I would start with a different car but i just put like 25 hours of my own time in to the body, shaving it sanding it down to bare metal, primering it with like 3 coats and all that good stuff. I love this car, no it may not be the best or the fastest, the motor i have in it now, with a msd ignition, and s&s header/exahust, and a k&n airfilter, i can beat stock civics and accords(none v-tec, and some v-tec), me and my friends have burned two sets of rear tires off it in the past few months spinnin doughnuts and peeling out and drifting(all in a controled inviroment one my friends is rich and has a 4 mile long 3 car wide paved drive way with lots of turns and a big *** circle at the end). I dont know what to do? any vw people please help.